Year of the Parish Culmination, time for reflection on changing times

Diocese of Tagbilaran Bishop, Most Rev. Alberto Uy during the opening mass of the Year of the Parish culminating activity. Photo by RON RAMOS

In the opening mass that marked the beginning of the Year of the Parish culminating activity, Diocese of Tagbilaran Bishop, Most Rev. Alberto Uy, emphasized that the event was a crucial opportunity for reflection.

He addressed the participants of the national gathering for Basic Ecclesial Community directors and coordinators in his homily, stressing the need for new ways to address what the church encounters as ‘new minds and contents with evolving context.’

“You are expected to make a reflection as to how to respond as a church to the BECs, to the challenges of the times, specifically [how] the millennial are expressing themselves, the trend of drug use, the painful reality of EJKs and other moral issues,” he said.

‘The church needs to recognize that new approaches and strategies must be explored if we are to remain faithful to the mission of the gospel,” he added.

Generosity and Evangelization

In an encouraging manner, Tagbilaran Bishop emphasized that generosity is a fundamental need in the mission of today.

“A fundamental need in this mission is to posses a generous heart, I pray that this may be an event of the spirit; that this gathering triggers in all of us a profound commitment to be generous in evangelization,” he said.

He further warned that ‘without generosity, plans will remain papers and ideas never come to life.’

Bishop Uy concluded, saying that ‘the church needs evangelizers, the church needs you, people who recognize that as they open their hands to reach out to BECs, those same hands are field with greater joy and peace.”

Coming from different churches nationwide, BEC Directors and Coordinators will participate in the 3-day gathering to represent, report and share about their experiences on BECs from their respective Dioceses.

A welcoming dinner for the participants, foster families and volunteers from Bohol was held after the mass. (Christine Paguirigan)